How to make our Android app become an approved source
Android enforces strict security measures when installing apps from sources outside the Google Play Store to protect users from malicious apps. The behavior you’re observing is due to Android treating your app store as an "unknown source."
Here’s a detailed explanation and possible solutions to the questions:
1.
How does Android check whether an app store is a known or unknown source?
Starting with Android 8.0 (Oreo),
the process for installing apps from unknown sources changed. Instead of
enabling installation from unknown sources system-wide, users must grant
permission on a per-app basis. This is how Android determines if a source is
trusted:
- Trusted Source:
Apps distributed via the Google Play Store or pre-installed system apps
(e.g., Samsung Galaxy Store) are automatically trusted and do not require
additional permissions for installing APKs.
- Unknown Source:
Any other app attempting to install APKs is treated as an unknown source
unless the user explicitly grants it permission.
When your app store attempts to
install an APK, Android checks if the "Install Unknown Apps"
permission (REQUEST_INSTALL_PACKAGES) has been granted to your app. If it
hasn’t, the system prompts the user with a dialog to enable this permission.
2.
Without rooting, is it possible to make our app store an approved source?
Yes, it is possible, but it requires
certain conditions to be met. Here are some approaches you can use:
A.
Use the "Install Unknown Apps" Permission
1.
Request
Permission: When your app store is installed or
on the first launch, you can programmatically prompt the user to enable the REQUEST_INSTALL_PACKAGES
permission for your app store. Here’s a sample implementation:
Java Code:
Intent intent = new
Intent(Settings.ACTION_MANAGE_UNKNOWN_APP_SOURCES);
intent.setData(Uri.parse("package:" +
getPackageName()));
startActivityForResult(intent, REQUEST_CODE);
2.
User Granting
Permission: Once the user grants this
permission, your app store will be treated as a trusted source, and the dialog
won’t appear for subsequent installations.
B.
Pre-Install Your App Store as a System App
If you are working with white-label
devices, you may have control over the firmware. By pre-installing your app
store as a system app, it will be treated as a trusted source. This
requires:
- Including your app in the device's system partition
during firmware development.
- Ensuring the app has the necessary INSTALL_PACKAGES
permission in the system manifest.
System apps are automatically
treated as trusted sources and bypass the "unknown sources" dialog.
C.
Enterprise Solutions Using Device Policy Management (DPM)
If these devices are managed in an
enterprise environment, you can use Android’s Device Policy Manager (DPM)
or a Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution to:
1.
Whitelist your app store for APK
installations.
2.
Automatically grant permissions like
REQUEST_INSTALL_PACKAGES without user interaction.
This approach is ideal for devices
in controlled environments (e.g., company-distributed devices).
3.
Why Rooting is Not Necessary
Rooting allows modifications to the
operating system and bypasses certain restrictions, but it’s unnecessary and
not recommended. Android already provides the mechanisms above for creating
trusted app stores, particularly for white-label devices or enterprise use
cases.
Recommended
Approach
- For User Devices:
Use the "Install Unknown Apps" permission. While this requires
an initial user action, it aligns with Android’s security guidelines.
- For White-Label Devices: Pre-install your app store as a system app during the
firmware build process to ensure a seamless user experience.
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